Timer for ignition systems for internal-combustion engines



Aug. 7, 1923. 1,463,946

J.GALAMB TIMER FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 20 1920 WITNESS: IN ENTOR. aazwz fi /M A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

.rosnrn enema, oinnraor'i', m'rcmeau, assreuon 'ro roan moron COMPANY, or momma tux, ,mcnrean, a coaronarrou or nmwnm' TIMER FOB IGNITION SYSTEMS FOR mTERNAL-COHBUSTION I Application filed December 20, 1920. Serial No. 481,987.

To all whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Gamma, acitize of the Unitedistates, residing in the city 0 Detroit, in'the county'of Wayneand State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Timers-for Ignition Systems or Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following-is a specification.

The object of my invention .is to provide .an improved timer for ignition systems for d spark plugs of an internal combustion engine and to so arrange the parts of this device that a maximum accuracy in timing may be secured together with a lasting construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide, in combination with the casing usually used in connection with commutators or timers, a ring having spaced insulated contacts therein and a roller to roll around the ring having a combined rolling and wiping contact with the ring.

A further object of my invention is'toprovide,

in connection with such a structure a roller having flanges at either end adapted t5 have a wiping action relative to the ring and to provide means for yieldingly holding these flanges into contact with the i A further object of my invention is to provide an improved segmental commutator roller having fla es on either segment, which are yielding y forced in a direction to cause the flanges to engage side of the ring member.

' A further object of invention vide spherical or bal,

she ed con surfaces between the parts 0 the the parts of the arm, whereby the pressure forcin the se ents of the roller together ma wh reby there may bev a relatively large wiping contact between-the roller andarm when the former is revolving,

With these and other. objects in"view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and monstruotion of the various parts of my improved device, as described sulating ring 13. The ring 13 app ied centrally thereof, and

tranted portien 22.

in the specification, claimed in m claims, and shown in the accompanying rawings, in which:

new taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2, and

Figure 2 is a similar view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have use the reference numeral 10 tomicate, generally, the camshaft of, an internal combustion engin-- which --=-extends through a supporting member 11-. Mounted on this supporting mem r in any suitable manner is the commutator housing 12, which is a hollow casing adapted to su port an inhas set into its inner surface a plurality of contacts 14, which are each connected with a binding post.15,- the latter extending through the insulating ring and easing so that lead wires may be connected thereto. Mounted on the end of the shaft 10 within the casing 12 is a sleeve 16 which is'held from movement let.-

Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional orally, to the shaft by any suitable means,

as by a pin 17. Extending laterally from.

the sleeve 16, and preferably formed in- 'tegral therewith, are a pair of speoeglvears 18, having alined o nings adjacentto their outer ends. Exten ed through theiopenings is a pintle 19 designed to form a blVOb for 1 the movable portion of the commutator arm The commutator arm in the form here shown is composed of two spaced strips of resilient material 20 which are pivota ly supported intermediate of their ends on the pintle 19. One end of these members is connected by a rod 30 which serves to hold the members from movement relative to each other and ior another purpose which will be hereinafter brought forth. Atthe oppositeend of the members 20 a pin 21extends between them to storm a pivotal sup ort-for the commute-tor roller. The pin a has contracted end portions 22 upon w ch. are mounted washeis-2 3,-whichare dished and provided withiinentrahopening to receive the con- ;Zflhepqntracted end rtions 22mm of suelfilength-that the a jacent p0 (ms of the ends 20 may move somewhat ereon, whereb the nicmbers 20 may bend somewhat i any pressure is exerted against them without throwing the pin 21 out of parallel with the shaft 10'. The extensions 22 have flattened sides 22 which co-act with, col' responding portions of the washers 23 to holdv'tho inand washers from rotation relative to the members 20.

Mounted on the pin 21 between the washers 23 is the commutator roller which com-.

prises two segments 24 and 25. Each of these gments have at their outside edges in laterally extending flange 26 designed to engage the side surfaces and inner edges of the commutator ring.

The roller segments have their outer faces recessed to correspond to the curvature of the washers 23 Encircling the pintle 19 are the coils of the spring indicated by the dotted lines 27 in Figure 2,"'one arm this ring being extended to position to engage t e rod 30 and the other arm being extended to position to engage the surface of the sleeve 16. This spring is so arranged that it tends to throw the rod 30 toward the shaft and the roller away from this shaft, thereby yieldingly forcing the roller into contact with the ring 13.

In this connection it will be noted that the spring 27 is so coiled that the ends thereof which contact with the pin 30 and sleeve 16 extend from the underside of the pintle 19, that is, they extend from the side closest to the sleeve 16. By this construction it will seen that any movement of the roller awa from the ring 13 will tend to further wind the coiled portion of the sprin around the pintle 19 so that the spring 2 resists anytendency for the roller to be thrown away from c ring not only by the windin =up of the coil but also by the resistance 0 the portion of-the spring adjacent to the pintle to the bending of the spring caused by such further winding. This mounting of the spring, therefore, gives a maximum force to urge the roller against the ring with a minimum weight of spring. I have provided a groove 29 at approximately the center of the inner face of the ring 13 in order to obviate any danger of the unequal wearing of the ring at the meetin edges of the segments 24 and 25 of the roi er.

n the practical operation of my improved device it will be understood that the shaft 10 is,a portion of the camshaft of an internal combustion engine, and that the binding posts are so connected with the ignition'system of the engine that when thecircuit is closed through one of the bindin posts, a spark may be caused at acorrespond ng spark plug. It will also be understood that the circuits are'closed by grounding through the roller, arm, shaft and its connections, so that the circuit is completed as soon as this ounding takesplace.

Ftbm the oregoing description it will be seen that rotation of the shaft 10. will cause the roller to roll around the ring thereby successively grounding the binding posts and closing the corresponding circuits.

The resiliency of the members 2(lis such that when for any reason the ring 13 might tend to separate segments 24 and 25, then that these members may give suliicirntly to permit the necessary spreading of these segments. If.the shaft 10'or the casing 12 should for any reason move axially resiliency ments 24 and 25 of theeontacbroller are normally slightly spaced apart so that the resiliency of the members 20 tends to throw the two segments together, thereby yieldingly, holding the flanges 26 into engagementreith the sides of the-ring and contacts. "In

case the ring and contacts wearv down suflicientl the segments will of course meet, but

even in this situation the rollcr wiH retain all of the advanta es" of the commonly used one piece roller. The roller segments themselves are specially hardenedso the wear thereon is'very slight. The dished washers 23, together with the recessed faces of the roller segments, space the arms 20 from the segments so that the contacting surfaces are always adjacent to the axis of the roller whereby the roller will rotate even though the segments thereof may meet due to wear on the commutator parts. .This structure also gives a .wipin roller segments an siderable area as the washers are held from rotation by the engagement of the flat sides of the openings therethrough"with the flat sides of the contracted rtions 22", and the electrical connection ggtween the arm and roller is the more perfect. The continuance of this wiping, contact is insured by the yieldingpressure of the arms 20,

During the progress of the roller around l be seen that the flanges 26 the ring it wi will engage the side surfaces of the liing and contacts therein and will have a wiping contact with such portions in addltibn to the rolling contact of the central portion of the roller. This wiping contact feature is of very great importance as neither a rolling J washers 28, or the re ler segments 24 and 25 to be removed for inspection or replacement, whereby the roller 'may 'be chan ed without replacingthe arm assembly. 9

contact between the l the washers of con- I 5 functions of acommutator arm.

rangement an resilient arms 20 therefore permit the'roller segments to sway laterally, force the seg- "ments together, and permit the.roller to be changed in addition to performing the usual he dished washers insure" uniform bearing surfaces under all working conditions and improve the -electrical connections.

Some c'han may be made in the arconstruction of the various parts of my improved device without de- 4 paitingfrom the spirit of the invention ri'n and itis my intention to cover by claims such changes as may be reasonab] iren d within the them v, min?! as my invention i -Inga commutator structure, a 5 ir of spacedgesfilient arms, a pin extend therefi between, dished washers-on the in between )Qethe a means for holding t e in and {washers rom rotation relative to t e arms, and-,a-.,two

f fwa'sliera' g 2. In a commutator structure, a pair of {12 spayed resilient arms having alined openpart roller mounted between the ings of irregular shape at oneend, a pin extended between said ends having contracted end portions shaped to enter and fit said openings, dished washers having simi iar openings mounted on the contracted portions between the arms, and a two part roller mounted on the pin between the washers, the outer surfaces thereof being recessed to correspond to the dishing of the washers.

3. In a commutator structure, a commutator casing having an insulating -ring therein havm contacts of conducting material inse into said ring at intervals, said ring and contacts having a lon 'tudinal central groove in their inner ace, a shaft extended into said casing, a roller carried by said shaft and yieldingly urged into contact with said 'lisg and contacts, said roller being compose of two sections and having means associated therewith for yieldinglj urging said sections toward each other.

. JOSEPH GALAMB. Witness:

E; L. D.Av1s. 

